6 Editor-Approved Salad Dressings You Can Whip Up in Minutes

Making salad dressings at home doesn’t have to be complicated (or intimidating). With just a handful of pantry staples, you can whip up flavorful, nutritious dressings in under 5 minutes. 

Homemade dressings let you control the ingredients, so you can skip preservatives, excess sugar, and overly processed oils, all while customizing flavors to your liking.

To get you started, we asked mindbodygreen editors to share their favorite go-to dressings and how to use them to elevate any meal. 

Everyday balsamic 

I make a lot of “kitchen sink” salads for lunch: Into a big bowl goes whatever I can find in my fridge and pantry. Done! It’s usually some combination of arugula (my favorite greens), proteins from the night before, meal-prepped roasted veggies, fresh red onions, farmers market tomatoes, nuts, and other fun crunchy things. I make it feel special by whipping up my dressing fresh every few days. 

I don’t measure anything. I just toss it into a mason jar and add ingredients until it comes out the right color—a rich shade of deep brown. — beauty director Alexandra Engler

Single serving 

Poppyseed dressing 

I made this salad several years ago on a whim and brought it to a friend’s barbecue. It was such a hit that I keep on making it for summer special occasions. I love the creamy, sweet dressing mixed with the bright apple slices, peppery arugula, and savory parmesan crisps. —Engler

In the salad:

Dressing (about 5-6 servings)

Minimalist olive oil dressing

I’ve admittedly gotten lazy about making my own dressings at home, but that doesn’t mean I always resort to store-bought options. My go-to option to dress up a salad quickly is a classic mix of olive oil and lemon. Sometimes I’ll use a nice runny tahini instead of the olive oil, and sometimes I swap out the lemon juice for apple cider vinegar. Either way, the coarse sea salt is a must for bringing out all the other flavors, and I feel like with just three versatile ingredients, I can spruce up any type of greens, roasted veggies, pasta, or grain bowl to make it delectable. — health editor Ailsa Cowell 

Single serving

Miso caesar 

I put this dressing on everything. The miso adds a rich, savory flavor, and the caper brine and lemon juice help brighten it up. Many store-bought caesar dressings fall flat and are loaded with canola oil. This is easy to throw together and is much more nutritionally balanced with healthy monounsaturated fats. — Deputy commerce editor Braelyn Wood 

Makes about 2 cups of dressing 

Everything balsamic dressing

I’m all about simplicity and versatility. So I regularly opt for this olive oil balsamic blend. Adding everything but the bagel seasoning mixes up the texture, and it goes well with any greens and veggie combo. –nutrition scientist Emma Engler

Single serving 

Dressing: 

Apple cider vinegar dressing 

I make this dressing several times a month. All the ingredients are foods that I already have in my pantry or fridge and can be whisked together in this perfectly zingy dressing in minutes. While it’s great to serve anytime of year, I especially love making it in the fall and adding it to my fall harvest bowl (kale, sweet potatoes, goat cheese, and sliced chicken). 

Makes 2-3 servings 

The takeaway

Once you get the hang of making your own dressing you'll be experimenting with other flavor combos in no time. If you lean towards oil-based dressings, opt for organic olive oil or avocado oils. For creamy dressings, use tahini, Greek yogurt, or avocado for your base. And always pair it with an acid (like a vinegar or citrus juice) for balance.